The Bar Scene Teaches Us About Using Social Media The Right Way
The coolest thing about being a community manager is that I get to socialize all day. It’s a big part of my job to create genuine conversation. And it reminds me a lot of starting good conversations at the bar.
Social media is a lot like being out in the bar scene. And being an effective social media user is a lot like being an effective bar crawler. It takes enthusiasm and it takes endurance—and all of us have a off-putting experience that we wish we could forget.
Don’t call me alcoholic. I’m not. I’m just being allegorical. And what better to turn into a metaphor than two of my favorite things?
Here’s why effectively navigating the bar scene and effectively navigating social media have so much in common (add your own metaphors via comment).
Know what you want before you try to order a drink.
People who don’t know what they want when they get to the bartender don’t get served. Or get served slowly. Social media users who don’t know what they want before they commit to using social media don’t do any better.
When a new blogger asks me for advice, I ask: “What is your goal for blogging?” A lot of people don’t have a great answer. And a month or two later, 75 percent of the people I talk to have moved on to something else.
Don’t confuse the need for a goal with the need for an end goal. You’re goal will change routinely over the course of your social media use. But just like going out for some drinks, it’s good to set a few expectations before the night begins.
Know your limits.
The good thing about social media is that nobody’s egging you on with shots that you didn’t ask for. The ball’s in your court. Stick to what you’re good at.
You should stick to what you’re good at—at first. There’s an overwhelming conception that if you’re not using every hot, new social media tool you’re falling behind. Erroneous! Starting right now is still considered ahead of the curve.
Take your time. Know what’s going to be difficult to stomach. If you’re not good at drinking Tequila, don’t drink Tequila.
Understand what makes a good cocktail.
My roommate showed me his LinkedIn profile the other day. Under experience he listed “pimp with the most.” So I said to him, “Dude. This isn’t Facebook.”
If you’re going to blend social media with a particular piece of your life, make sure that it’s going to enhance your life, not hinder it. You might as well be drinking a Long-Island Ice Tea in that case. They taste terrible, and they only make you look and feel ridiculous.
A little flair goes a long way.
Ask my favorite blogging bartender, Chris Myers, and he’ll tell you the same. If you want to be remembered, be memorable.
But you don’t need to learn to balance bottles of Ketel One on your chin or tell really amazing dirty jokes— like Chris—to be memorable. Figure out what makes you a fun person to kick it with offline, and translate it into something you can do online.
Know when it’s time to go home.
Oke Atatah isn’t going to use the Internet for the next two weeks. That’s a little extreme for me, but kudos on his part. I put a lot of value in the time that I spend away from social media. Everybody should.
People who spend too much time at the bar are typically called alcoholics. I don’t know what people who spend too much time on social media are called.
Losers? Perhaps, but the point is simple. Social media is a tool for complimenting your life, not supplementing your life.
And don’t forget to have some fun.
We’re all learning that social media is a valuable tool for our careers and our personal lives. Regardless of what you’re using it for, have fun doing it.
If I wasn’t getting a thrill out of blogging, I wouldn’t blog. If Twitter wasn’t such a fun way to connect, I wouldn’t Tweet.
Always be conscious of how much fun that you’re having when you’re using social media. If you’re not having fun, you’re probably not doing it right.
Speaking of bars … Who’s going to a Twestival tonight? And if you’re not going, why?! Click here to check out a list of Twestivals going on in 175+ cites around the world.
If you’re at the Chicago Twestival, keep an eye out for me. I’m looking forward to meeting some cool people from the Brazen World.
PaughGinney
Twitter me- @MelissaBreau Thanks! I just let our dev guys know. Let me know if it's stil happening in 10-15min. in reply to MelissaBreau 6 days ago
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12 Responses for "The Bar Scene Teaches Us About Using Social Media The Right Way"
There’s nothing terrible about a Long Island Ice Tea, but I’d rather have one on steroids, and here they call those New York MotherF*ckers.
I will definitely be at the Charlotte Twestival tonight, though would love to be kicking it with the Brazen crew and others in Chicago!
Enjoyed this post. I think there’s a lot of similarities between the two.
@Ryan: I’ve been known to pound a few Long Islands (NY Motherfuckers) in my day. I grew out of them, but to each their own is what I always say.
Have fun in Charlotte. Are any other Brazen Bloggers in the area going? I know there are 1-2 that live in Charlotte. We’re going to miss you in Chicago, but in a way we’re all together supporting this great cause.
Have a fun night.
-RP
@Ryan P. I’m totally digging your analogy. Especially when talking about knowing what you want, because if you go to the bar and say, “umm…well, I’m not sure,” how can the bartender best serve you? They can’t. You will get the most out of your drink and social media usage if you’re sure of what you want to grow into or receive. Thanks for writing this, Cheers!
Ryan, why all the hating on Long Island Ice Teas? Perhaps you’ve only been made poor ones. They’re delicious! And they’re one of life’s great mysteries: How do you put gin, vodka, rum, and tequila in the same drink, and make it taste good? It’s inexplicable. But they ARE tasty. And that’s a scientific fact.
Oh, and you forgot to mention not to use pick-up lines. (Although I guess that’s not so much a metaphor, as it applies literally to both worlds.)
Drink Long Islands!
“There’s an overwhelming conception that if you’re not using every hot, new social media tool you’re falling behind. Erroneous!”
Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with all the social media I’m not utilizing that it hinders me from even utilizing what’s right in front of me.
But, hey, that can be expanded to a lot of things in life.
@Grace Cheers right back at you! You’re right, a brand without purpose can’t be served.
@Josh: I’m not a fan of Long Island Ice Teas anymore … it’s also a scientific fact that if you have too much of a certain type of drink, you never want to see it again. I’ll stick w/ a bourbon and coke or a tequila tonic … depending on my mood.
I thought about the pick-up line analogy, but I cut it. I wouldn’t have suggested not using pick-up lines at all though, just use the right ones. An important rule of effective social media use is knowing how to ask for something in the right way, and of course, having the guts to even ask to begin with.
@Jamie: You bet. Start slow. For awhile I refused to use Twitter because it took away from the great focus I had in other elements of social media. So I eased my way in, and can honestly say that it’s become a valuable piece of my social arsenal.
Haha, this is such a great post. What an awesome analogy. I love the part about knowing your limits- so true, and I’m reminded of it everytime someone tries to convince me that I need to get tumblr or friendfeed or plurk or meebo or whatever other weird-sounding social media site they love. Too much social media can send you into information overload. Too much at the bar and you still can’t function even when its 3 pm the next day…
Ryan,
Great analogy. I am exploring the Social Media Community Manager route right now and have some questions.
1. If the goal of community management is not the sheer # of “friends” or “followers”, what sort of data do you provide the companies you work for?
2. You could get “caught up” with managing a brand with the 7×24 nature of the Internet. How do you lay out and plan your day?
Thanks!
Mike
@Ryan: I love this analogy and thanks for the tips! I am just starting to get into the social media and it’s always nice to get some basic insight on how to succeed.
I have one question about the knowing-what-you-want part though. I think I know what I want, which is to build a local network and stay informed, but am not sure how narrow or broad my goals should be. Any tips?
Hey Mike,
Good questions. I’ll do my best to answer them …
1) Aside from just generating a user base, you can measure the success of the communities you manage by engagement. The most important part of any community is to keep them active. So you can track comments, linkbacks, etc. to find what works and what doesn’t.
2) Lists, routine, calendars … whatever I can do to keep myself focused. I’m not a very structured person. I think that might be why community management works for me. But it’s always a battle to keep yourself focused what needs to be done versus what REALLY needs to be done.
Then you have to know when to stop. I don’t like letting myself get burnt out. I always have a set time where I turn off my computer. My life comes first
Hope that helps.
-RP
Hi Katya,
Your goals will always evolve. Making local connections with personal/professional commonalities is a great place to start. You’ll probably develop some new goals just based on the people you meet.
If you’re worried about making your goals too lofty. Have a short-term and a long-term goal in mind.
-RP
[...] Gen Y is that we can use any situation as a chance to learn and grow. Ryan Paugh wrote a post about how the bar scene teaches us to do social media the right way. While others may be using the bar as an escape from the stress of work Ryan, like many Gen Yers, [...]
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